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Review

1996
Buick
Regal Review

A great daily driver and dependable road buddy!

Reviewed by Automotive on
1/28/1996

Overview

The Buick Regal is an attractive midsize car that is available as both a coupe and sedan, with four trim levels: the base/economical custom, the testosterone-fueled Gran Sport, the luxury Limited, and Olympic Edition. The Gran Sport model is marketed towards a male demographic, with its 3.8-liter, V-6 engine that produces 205 horsepower (hp). Overall, it’s a comfortable ride with decent fuel economy.

What's New

The Series II 3.8-liter, V-6 engine is now standard on the Limited and Gran Sport models, and is available as an option with the base Custom trim. The base V-6 engine has also been upgraded. ComforTemp climate controls and a cassette player are now standard equipment. The Gran Sport also comes standard with new wheels that are available in chrome.

Exterior

The Regal has an attractive exterior, particularly with the right add-on options. Of the available trims, the Gran Sport is the most likely to be a head-turner, featuring a desirable blend of sport and luxury. The Buick Regal weighs between 3,254 and 3,407 pounds, depending on the trim. Every model rides on a 107.5-inch wheelbase and is 72.9 inches wide. With the exception of the Custom coupe, which is 193.9 inches long, each model is 194.1 in length. The Custom coupe is also shorter than the other models at 54.6 inches tall, while the other trims are 56.3 inches in height.

The Buick Regal has rack and pinion steering, full independent suspension, and rides on 15-inch wheels.

Interior

Standard seating in the Buick Regal can accommodate six people, however the Olympic and Gran Sport models can only fit five people. Seating is quite comfortable. The coupe models have 37.8 inches of headroom in the front seat, while the back seat has 37.1 inches of headroom. The sedan is a bit roomier with 38.7 inches of headroom up front, and 38.4 inches in the rear seat. Front legroom in both the coupe and sedan is roughly 42.4 inches. Rear seat legroom in the coupe is a bit more cramped at 34.8 inches, compared to the sedan’s 36.2 inches of legroom in the backseat.

Standard equipment in all models includes cruise control, a tachometer, tilt steering, air-conditioning, and an AM/FM radio with cassette player.

Performance & Handling

The Buick Regal is a smooth runner, considering its heavier weight. The car provides decent power with excellent acceleration for highway merges and lane changes. Both the handling and ride are unbelievably impressive. The braking is also excellent. In addition to these competitive features, the Regal offers great fuel economy. The Gran Sport model comes with a 3.8-liter, V-6 engine, with 205 hp at 5200 rpm, and 230 lb-ft of maximum torque at 4000 rpm. The base Custom models come standard with a 160-hp, 3.1-liter, V-6 engine.

Safety

The 1996 Buick Regal comes standard with four-wheel anti-lock brakes and driver and passenger front airbags. NHTSA crash test ratings gave the Regal three stars for passenger safety and four stars for driver safety in frontal-impact crashes.